Sen. Bob Britto

Maddy summarySenate Bill 34 proposes to eliminate the sales tax on certain services. Specifically, it removes the sales tax requirement for taxi services and pet care services. This change means that individuals who use these services would no longer pay sales tax on them. It also directly affects businesses providing taxi and pet care services by altering their sales tax collection and remittance obligations.

Maddy summarySB 390 updates laws concerning special education services for children with disabilities, affecting students, parents, and school districts. The bill clarifies that public school districts are responsible for providing disability-related services to students whose parents place them in private schools, while parents pay for tuition. It ensures a student's Individualized Education Plan (IEP) remains active when they move to a new town and extends special education benefits up to age 21, with provisions for continuing through an academic year if a student turns 21 mid-program. Effective July 1, 2025, the bill mandates that receiving school districts report quarterly to sending districts on student status and limits the sending district's financial responsibility for special education and transportation costs.

Requires applications for energy facilities to take into consideration the 2021 Act on Climate and how the facility may advance or delay the greenhouse gas emissions reductions.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 990, known as the Safeguarding American Veteran Empowerment Act (SAVE ACT), establishes new regulations for individuals and businesses that charge fees to assist veterans with benefits claims. It prohibits upfront fees and mandates that compensation be contingent on an increase in benefits, capped at five times the monthly increase. The bill also restricts compensation for claims filed within one year of active-duty release unless the veteran waives free services. Additionally, it requires service providers to disclose their non-affiliation with government veterans' services and prohibits practices such as using international data centers for veteran personal information or accessing a veteran's accounts with their login credentials. Violations of these provisions could result in civil penalties.

Maddy summarySB 878 establishes specific caseload limits for workers at the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF). These limits apply to various responsibilities, such as active investigations, ongoing in-home services, and children in out-of-home or treatment foster care. The bill also requires DCYF to conduct annual pay rate reviews for its employees. This review aims to ensure competitive compensation by comparing salaries with similar positions in other New England states.

Increases the state earned-income credit as of January 1, 2026 to seventeen percent (17%) of the federal earned-income credit, not to exceed the amount of state income tax.

Maddy summarySB 658 amends Rhode Island's Works Program to remove a waiting period for lawful permanent residents (green card holders) seeking cash assistance benefits. Previously, these individuals faced a delay before accessing benefits, even if otherwise eligible. The bill directly affects lawful permanent residents enrolled in the state's cash assistance program by allowing immediate access to benefits upon meeting other eligibility requirements. This change modifies Section 40-5.2-10(a)(2) of the General Laws, eliminating the prior waiting period requirement for this group. The policy shift focuses solely on updating eligibility rules without altering other program conditions.

Provides a three thousand dollar ($3,000) stipend to a qualified applicant who successfully completes the job training program of the department of human services or department of children, youth and families.

Changes term vicious to dangerous dogs, expands on requirements relative to leashes, enclosures, addresses fines, requires signage, mandates dangerous dogs be kept in enclosure and provides other requirements.

Maddy summarySB 551 allows animal control officers to immediately seize animals suspected of neglect or cruelty *before* criminal charges are resolved, requiring a 48-hour notice of a court hearing for permanent rehoming. If a court finds evidence of cruelty or neglect by a preponderance of the evidence, it can terminate the owner’s rights to the animal. Owners must pay reasonable care costs incurred during seizure, and the court may schedule the rehoming hearing before criminal proceedings conclude. The bill directly affects animal owners in cases of neglect, abandonment, or hazardous accumulation (overcrowded conditions), and applies to all animals except those in licensed research facilities or during legal hunting/consumption.